Introducing The Campaign:
End the Exploitation. Abolish Incarcerated Reality Shows.
Ending exploitation in TV. Advancing decarceration and dignity.
The #AIRS (Abolish Incarcerated Reality Shows) campaign, led by America On Trial Inc., organizes to end the exploitation of incarcerated people in reality television and true crime media. Shows like 60 Days In and Jailbirds profit from incarceration, distort lived experiences, and reinforce harmful stereotypes.
We call this the “Carceral Entertainment Complex”—a system that turns incarceration into entertainment without meaningful consent, compensation, or protection. Led by directly impacted people, #AIRS works to shift narratives, restore dignity, and hold media accountable.
Our Mission:
The #AIRS Campaign is committed to:
Ending exploitation in reality television
Restoring dignity to impacted individuals
Amplifying authentic narratives
Holding media platforms accountable
Challenging narratives that normalize mass incarceration
WHAT WE DO:
ORGANIZE FOR MEDIA ACCOUNTABILITY: We build grassroots power to challenge and dismantle the “Carceral Entertainment Complex”—media that profits from the exploitation of incarcerated people and their families.
ADVANCE MEDIA & NARRATIVE JUSTICE: We confront harmful portrayals in reality TV and true crime, pushing for ethical storytelling rooted in dignity, consent, and truth.
EDUCATE & MOBILIZE COMMUNITIES: Through workshops, screenings, and toolkits, we equip communities to understand, challenge, and take action against exploitative media systems.
WHY THIS WORK MATTERS:
Media shapes how society sees incarceration—and how it justifies it.
Reality television and true crime programming often turn real people and real trauma into entertainment, reinforcing stigma and deepening harm against already impacted communities.
We believe this is not neutral—it is structural.
Through organizing, education, and public accountability, we are shifting how incarceration is represented and challenged in public culture.
Voices Behind #AIRS:
OUR APPROACH
We believe change happens through:
Grassroots organizing led by impacted communities
Coalition building across movements and states
Public education and cultural intervention
Media accountability and narrative change
We are not only responding to harm—we are building new cultural frameworks for truth, dignity, and justice.
Join the Movement:
If you’re interested in subscribing with us, please provide your contact information, and we’ll get in touch with you shortly. We look forward to connecting and collaborating to drive meaningful change!